Final grade out: UCLA vs. Nebraska
Here are the final grades and takes following Nebraska’s 27-20 loss to UCLA on Saturday.
The Huskers had multiple opportunities in the second half but came up short in the end.
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Rushing offense: D+
Nebraska had 136 sack-adjusted rush yards. They did not have a run longer than 14 yards in the game, but they produced four runs of 10+ yards. Dante Dowdell, Emmett Johnson, and Rahmir Johnson combined for 27 carries and 111 yards.
NU averaged just 2.9 yards on 14 first down run plays. They averaged just 3.2 yards per carry running the football in the second half. They needed more tempo and execution in the run game, especially early, to have a chance to win on Saturday. Dowdell scored two touchdowns to give him eight on the season.
Passing offense: D-
NU threw two interceptions on Saturday, one from Dylan Raiola and the other from Heinrich Haarberg. Raiola’s pick flipped the game, as the Bruins ran it back for a touchdown on the opening play of the second half. It took a 13-7 game and made it 20-7. That play changed everything, as Raiola missed a wide-open Thomas Fidone.
UCLA also put a lot of pressure on Raiola, which threw him off in the passing game. He started the game 3-of-10 passing for 47 yards in the first half. Raiola left the game with a back injury and finished 14-of-27 for 177 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Haarberg was 2-of-7 for 32 yards and an interception.
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Rushing defense: C-
UCLA did enough in the running game. They got early production from their backs. QB Ethan Garbers had the longest run (57 yards) of the season on the Blackshirts. T.J. Harden averaged 4.2 yards per carry, which kept the Bruin offense on schedule.
Passing defense: D
UCLA had passing plays of 25, 17, 15, 15, 48 and 22 yards. Garbers started the game out 9-of-10 for 83 yards in the first quarter and 15-of-19 for 149 yards and a touchdown in the first half. The Bruins converted four of their first five third downs. The Huskers only allowed one third down conversion a week ago at Ohio State. The pass rush was also not effective due to Garbers and his mobility. The start of this game and being unable to get off the field on third-and-long put NU in a hole they could not get out of.
Special teams: B-
NU got a solid game out of its special teams, other than a missed PAT that kept the game at 27-20 instead of 27-21. That took away the chance to win the game on the final drive instead of playing for the tie. Brian Buschini averaged 55.7 yards on three punts and was solid. All three of his punts went 50+ yards.
Sean Callahan can be reached at [email protected] and is heard daily at 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media’s Big Red Wrap-Up Tuesdays at 7 pm.
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